Thursday was a day of celebration at the quarterly Celebrate Independence event at the Masonic Lodge with local industries, Standard Motor Products, Textron Aviation and VT Hackney, celebrating their expansion news. The event was sponsored by SEKTAM of Independence.

Romans Motor Company in Independence announced its partnership with nonprofit organization Cell Phones for Soldiers, and they're asking local communities to assist troops call home by donating gently-used cellular phones.

JEFFREY A. GREEN, 46, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, pled guilty today to offering a bribe to a public official at Tinker Air Force Base, announced Mark A. Yancey, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma. Green is the president and chief executive officer of LockNClimb, LLC ("LockNClimb"), with headquarters in Independence, Kansas.

St. John Clinic Independence's blessing ceremony brought together faith and the desire to expand the city's health care choices Tuesday night during two special events — the blessing of the Health for Life Center, 2011 N. Penn Ave, and St. John Clinic, Jane Phillips MedCare Pharmacy, and Imaging Center, 800 W. Laurel Street.

The Independence Chamber of Commerce welcomed Coffeyville Regional Medical Group to the community with a ribbon
cutting ceremony and honorary plaque Friday afternoon.
To celebrate their welcome and the support of the city, CRMC
Medical Group, 122 W. Myrtle Street, hosted a block party.
Becky McCune, the hospital’s Human Resources and Marketing
director, gracefully severed the bright red ribbon during
the ceremony as Lisa Wilson, Chamber of Commerce
president, gave welcoming words to CRMC’s officials, staff
and supporters. McCune was then bestowed a plaque to recognize the Coffeyville-based clinic as another positive business
that chose to grow in Independence.
CRMC Medical Group will be offering another alternative
for health care by providing services such as blood pressure
and heart rate screening, pulmonary function testing, EGK
monitoring, return-to-work and post-hire tests, complete
metabolic profiles (blood and lab work), lipid panels, hemograms,
TSH (thyroid) and PSA, physical therapy exercise
demonstrations and hand outs, flu and Hepatitis B vaccinations,
diabetes management and education, digital mammograms (at CRMC), and much more for residents in need of
direct appointments.
Operating hours for the clinic will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday.

One year ago, Jose Ayala, owner of El
Pueblito Mexican Restaurant at 1721
North Penn. Avenue, decided that it was
time to expand the business, and with
prominent growth, they met their goals.
“We have seen our business grow steadily for several years and now was the time
to expand the business,” said Ayala.
He said that he began sketching out
his plans before contacting Leonhard
Caflisch, local architect, to design a new
layout for the interior and a new entrance
addition area to the restaurant.
“Jose applied for a variance for the entrance
construction from the planning
and zoning commission, which was approved by the commission and ultimately
by the city commission,” said Caflisch.
He added that he and Ayala drew up
two to three plans before arriving at a
plan that would keep the current walls in
place.

G&W Foods was eagerly accepted by the Independence
Chamber of Commerce who hosted an honorary
ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday with the store’s employees
and supportive community.
G&W Foods purchased Marvin’s Food Saver recently,
but the ribbon cutting ceremony offered residents an
opportunity to meet the store manager, Brad Boyer; regional
supervisor, Tom True; and director of operations,
Chris O’Hara, who cooked up hot dogs for those in attendance.
“We wanted to give back to our customers, and why
not do it during the ribbon cutting?” O’Hara smiled.
“We’re just very glad to be here.”
Lisa Wilson, Chamber president, along with fellow
members, presented the store’s officials with a plaque
and celebrated the cutting of the bright red ribbon.
“We’ve always been envious of other towns that have
G&W stores, and now we don’t have to be,” she said.
“The Chamber will help you in any way we can and we
are thrilled to have you here.”
O’Hara spoke next, allowing employees to introduce
themselves and their titles within G&W.
“I don’t know who’s more excited,” he laughed. “We’re
very pleased to be here and we’ve talked about coming
here for a long time. We still have a long way to go, but
we are blessed with good people. That’s something you
learn quick in this business — it’s hard to find good
people, but here, we have a great group that will serve
the community to the best of their abilities, all while
providing the best service and products you can’t find
elsewhere.”